This Holy Seed
Subtitle: Faith, hope and love in the early churches of North Africa
Publisher: Tamarisk Books; Tamarisk Publications
Published: 2010 (second edition)
Place of publication: Chester, UK
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 477
ISBN-13: 9780953856534
Description: Where the Acts of the Apostles ends, this book starts. It carries the story of the early church along the southern shores of the Mediterranean as far as the Atlantic Ocean and up to the Arab conquest.
 
Its narrative describes the spectacular growth of the earliest North African churches and introduces us to some remarkable characters: theologians, pastors and teachers such as Augustine, Cyprian and Tertullian; ordinary believers who lived and loved and laid down their lives, like Perpetua and her friends.

Drawing on original documents and archaeological evidence, this unusual book recounts their dramatic story of daring faith, loyal devotion and love as strong as death.

The churches of North Africa were spectacular in their strength and in their weakness, for within a few years of their greatest glory they had totally disappeared.

How can we account for the remarkable growth of early North African Christianity, and for its equally remarkable collapse?

This Holy Seed identifies the greatest lesson of Christian history: that churches possessing the Bible flourish and grow. Churches without it sicken and die.
 
This Holy Seed offers a serious challenge to the churches of North Africa and the world, and along with it a realistic hope. Armed with the lessons of history we will surely be wiser than those who have gone before.
Table of contents: title: CONTENTS; title: Preface; title: Introduction; title: Dates; title: Map: Western North Africa, 3rd Century AD; title: Map: Eastern North Africa, 3rd Century AD; title: PART ONE – FIRST FRUITS (1st and 2nd centuries); title: 1. A Seed is Sown; title: martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas (AD 203); the city of Carthage; title: 2. Peoples and Pioneers; title: Phoenicians, Romans, Imazighen; title: 3. Majesty and Mystery; title: pagan religion in North Africa: animism, magic, Baal, Tanit; title: 4. Treasures and Travellers; title: the coming of the Gospel to North Africa; title: PART TWO – THE AGE OF TERTULLIAN (late 2nd to early 3rd century); title: 5. The World and the Way; title: Christians in a pagan society – attitudes to slavery, idolatry, the emperor, the army, marriage, work; title: 6. Loyalty and Love; title: the Christian community – meetings, the Lord’s Supper, baptism, cheerful giving, discipline, buildings, art; title: 7. The Triumph of Truth; title: the life of Tertullian (160-230); the Montanists; title: 8. Documents and Doctrines; title: the making of the New Testament: the Septuagint; Tertullian’s definition and defence of the Faith; the apostolic churches; title: 9. Cross and Crown; title: persecution under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus (177-192), and Severus (202-204); sufferings in Gaul; martyrdom of Polycarp, Speratus and friends in Scillium, Leonides and Origen; title: 10. Trial and Testimony; title: persecution under Decius (249-251); testimony of Celerinus, Aurelius, Numidicus; reasons for persecution; title: 11. Grace and Glory; title: the Christians’ response to persecution; title: PART THREE – THE AGE OF CYPRIAN (3rd century); title: 12. Humanity and Humility; title: the life of Cyprian (200-258); title: 13. Meetings and Ministers; title: leadership in the churches; title: 14. Church in Chains; title: persecution under Valerian (253-260); Christians in the Numidian mines; the Massa Candida; the farm at Mugas; Montanus and Flavianus; Maximilian, Marcellus, Cassianus and the Roman army; title: 15. Conferences and Congregations; title: the developing Catholic organization; title: 16. Distance and Diversity; title: the inland spread of the Gospel; Carthage, Alexandria and Rome; title: 17. Memories and Martyrs; title: the cult of the martyrs; persecution under Diocletian and his successors(284-311); Salsa; the Edict of Milan AD 313; title: 18. Conversion and Consecration; title: the life of Arnobius (260-327); the call of Antony; monasticism; title: PART FOUR – THE AGE OF AUGUSTINE (4th to early 5th century); title: 19. Purity and Protest; title: the growth of the Donatists; the Circumcellions; title: 20. Trauma and Tragedy; title: the fall of the Donatists; Marcellinus and Constantine; title: 21. Despair and Deliverance; title: the conversion of Augustine (354-386); title: 22. Servant and Scholar; title: the ministry of Augustine I (386-430) – Overseer and Shepherd; clothing; buildings; art in the Christian community; title: 23. Pastor and Preacher; title: the ministry of Augustine II (386-430) – Preacher and Theologian; title: 24. City of Rome and City of God; title: the writings of Augustine I – the fall of Rome; parables of salvation; title: 25. Ceremonies and Celebrations; title: meetings of the church, the Lord’s Supper; Easter; baptism; Christian marriage; miracles; title: 26. Creeds and Controversies; title: the writings of Augustine II – Arianism, Pelagianism, providence; title: 27. Advice and Admonition; title: preaching of Augustine in the church at Hippo; title: 28. Fashions and Frailties; title: errors and corruptions; relations with the church in Rome; title: PART FIVE – LAST HARVEST? (mid 5th century onwards); title: 29. Confusion and Collapse; title: Vandal invasion (430-533); Byzantine reconquest (533-670); title: 30. Conquerors and Colonists; title: Arab invasion and settlement (670-1400); the Christian remnant; title: 31. Purpose and Providence; title: the hand of God in the history of the Church; title: 32. Renewal and Resurrection; title: a word to my brothers and sisters in North Africa – the aim of the churches; the treasure of God; the promise of life; title: APPENDICES; title: i. The Imazighen of North Africa; title: ii. Creeds; title: iii. Foreknowledge and Freewill; title: iv. The Name of Jesus; title: Questions for Discussion; title: Bibliography; title: Index